


Marley Turns Five

by Ava_now



Series: Barisi Dads AU [19]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Adoption, Birth Parents, Birthday, Birthday Presents, Family Feels, Fluff, Foreplay, Kidfic, Kissing, M/M, Parent-Child Relationship, Touchy-Feely
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:21:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 11,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25637974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ava_now/pseuds/Ava_now
Summary: On July 29th, Marlene Elizabeth Barba-Carisi turns five years old.  You're invited to celebrate with her!*This fic is almost completely G-rated, with the exception of the first scene in the third chapter, which is more M.  Do with that what you will.
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.
Series: Barisi Dads AU [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1541101
Comments: 18
Kudos: 45





	1. Clean and Sexy

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and thanks for reading! This is a three-chapter fic about Marlene's fifth birthday. First chapter will be about the morning of her birthday, second chapter is her family party and that evening, and then there will be a third chapter that addresses her birth mother.
> 
> I'm so glad you've chosen to read this. I greatly appreciate kudos and comments--they help give me an idea of how I'm connecting to readers. I hope you enjoy!

Rafael stood over his daughter, smiling. She was curled up in her favorite Wonder Woman pajamas, still sound asleep. Her thumb had slipped out of her mouth, and her lips were still pursed as though she were sucking on it. Her curls were askew all over her head, and her sheets were tangled around her legs. Pru was lying by Marley’s feet, and she panted and wagged her tail when Rafael came into the room. He reached over now, stroking her head gently. “Good girl, Pru...should we wake up the princesa? It’s her special day today...five years old today!”

He watched as her eyes fluttered open and she smiled, then stretched. “Feliz cumpleanos, mi dulce nina,” (Happy birthday, my sweet little girl) he told her. “How many is it today? Tres? Quatro?” (Three? Four?)

She giggled. “Cinco, Papi. Five! I’m five now!”

He acted surprised. “That’s right! Oh my lord...five years old. Okay, time for your five kisses. Ready?” She giggled as he leaned over and kissed her. “Uno…” He kissed her cheek again. “Dos…” Pressing another to her forehead, he said, “Tres…” One to the temple. “Quatro…” He looked her face over as she kept laughing. “Hmmm...last one...cinco!” he said as he kissed her nose. “Mi princesa tiene cinco años!” (My princess is five years old!).

“I’m so big now!” she giggled.

“You are,” he confirmed. “What are you going to wear today? You need to get dressed because Daddy’s got a special breakfast for you and it’s ready!”

“I wanna wear my Wonder Woman shirt that Abby gived me. Yeah, that one! Is it hot out, Papi? If it’s hot I need some shorts, wight?”

“That’s right,” he told her, handing her the shirt and a clean pair of panties. “And here’s your shorts.”

“What time do we see my tousins?” she asked. “An’ we get to swim at Grammy and Grampy’s wight?” 

“Yes, but that’s in the afternoon. Grammy invited everyone over to celebrate your birthday at three.” Last weekend, they had invited several of Marley’s friends to celebrate her birthday at the zoo, and they had a wonderful time. They made a decision this year to celebrate with their families separately, and with Sonny’s ever-expanding family, Dom and Deb eagerly offered for everyone to use their home, as usual. They had a larger ranch-style on Staten Island with a huge backyard and an above-ground pool, and over the last several years, it seemed all the kids and grandkids celebrated with the family there. To be honest, both Sonny and Rafael felt relieved not to have to host thirty relatives of varying ages in their twelve hundred square foot condo. The elder Carisis’ home was over twice that big, and when the backyard was added in, it was a no-brainer. 

The only difficulty this year had been explaining to Deb that Marley was old enough to have a separate party with her friends, at the zoo. This was the first year that they had really invited any friends from school, and the first time they had taken the kids anywhere for her birthday. Deb had offered for everyone to come over after they visited the zoo, but in the end, Sonny told her it would be easier to use the zoo’s facilities. She accepted it relatively well and ended up volunteering to help with the kids during the party, and the day had gone smoothly.

Sonny would never say anything to his sisters, but he had always believed that his mom had a special place in her heart for Marlene. Deb had been Marley’s primary daycare provider until she was nearly three years old, hiking regularly from Staten Island to Manhattan to care for “my baby”. She had taught them both how to soothe a cranky infant, how to help her with teething, and when it was time, how to potty train her. That had been an adventure in itself, with a very strong-willed two-year old and two flabbergasted, insecure, and clueless grown men. If it hadn’t been for Deb, they might have lost it completely.

_“Is she interested in it?” Deb had asked them as the three adults stood in the kitchen. “You keep saying that she is, but I never know what to expect when I come over here. One day she’s in pull ups and the next day she’s in diapers, then she’s in panties. I’m an adult and don’t know what to expect. How can she possibly know?”_

_“As soon as we put her in panties, she pees in them, Mom!” Sonny crossed his arms exasperatedly. “I don’t understand why she can keep her diapers dry for hours but then pees as soon as she gets into anything else.”_

_Rafael was watching mother and son go back and forth. “Maybe she’s just not ready,” he interjected, shrugging. “I know she’s almost three but lots of kids are still in diapers at three…”_

_“She’s ready!” Both Sonny and Deb said simultaneously, and Rafael shrugged again._

_“Dominick, if you think that girl is ready, then we need to get her into some panties during the daytime and schedule regular potty breaks for her. And she needs to try to go potty at those times whether she thinks she needs to or not. If she has an accident, she needs to change her own clothes and if it means she misses something fun, it’s a learning opportunity for her. It’s called logical consequences. I would think you two have read about that, given the large number of parenting books you’ve consumed.”_

_The next day, Deb had taken Marley shopping and they had come home with a variety of colorful character panties in their daughter’s tiny size. “Oh, how exciting!” Deb had said in front of all of them as Marley showed her dads the panties. “Marley, you’re such a big girl! Big girls put their peepee in the toilet and get to wear panties! Are YOU going to wear panties?”_

_Marley had nodded enthusiastically. “See Daddy? I BIG dirl! Papi, no diapuh no more--Marwee wear BIG dirl panties!” And the next day, when Rafael got their baby out of her toddler bed, she said, “Papi, I no wear no diapuh! I wear big dirl panties!”_

_“If you want to wear your panties, you need to go peepee in the potty first, Marley,” he had told her, and she had happily run into the bathroom, climbed on the toilet, and peed. “Papi! Panties pwease! No diapuh” she yelled, and Rafael and Sonny had looked at each other, dumbfounded._

Deb had been a huge part of Marley’s first years, without a doubt, and Sonny wanted to continue to honor that connection his daughter and his mom had formed. She had requested that, in addition to hosting the party, she be allowed to make the cake this year, and he had reluctantly agreed. That was usually something he contributed, but he figured this year he’d make something for the zoo, and his mom could cover the family party.

“Hey Daddy!” Marley skipped down the hall into the kitchen. “It’s my birthday and I’m five years old today! Didja remember?”

Sonny turned to her, scooping her up into a big hug. “I do!” he told her, kissing her cheek. “And breakfast for my big five year old is almost ready! Are you gonna help Papi take Pru for her walk?”

“Sure! Wet me just get my shoes, otay Papi?” He nodded as he put on Pru’s leash, and she disappeared into the back. Rafael grinned at Sonny.

“Ready for today?” he asked. “She’s pretty darn excited.”

Sonny nodded. “Well, you only turn five once. You celebrate it twice, but it only happens once...you know what I mean.”

***

“This is so delicious, Daddy! I WOVE my birthday breakfast!” Marley took another bite of her eggs and loudly hummed, “MMMMMM!”

Rafael bit his lip to keep from laughing. “They are good, huh, mija? I really like Daddy’s monkey bread!”

Sonny smiled at both of them. “You two are always very polite about my cooking, and I appreciate it.” He’d made an egg and sausage casserole, a berry and yogurt trifle, and monkey bread for breakfast. Three of his daughter’s breakfast favorites made a bit of work, but he didn’t mind. Most of the prep work was taken care of the night before, so he just popped everything in the oven when he got up. The smiles around the table more than made it worth the time spent prepping the night before.

“Well, I also appreciate it, Daddy, tause you do such nice things for your wittle girl, even when I’m not so wittle anymore!” She smiled at Sonny, then asked, “So when do I get my presents?”

Rafael and Sonny looked at each other. “Should we tell her?” Sonny asked.

“Tell me what?” Marley asked, eyes wide.

“I guess we could,” Rafael answered. “It is her birthday, after all.”

“You tan tell me,” Marley said hopefully. “It’s my birthday!”

“Yeah, we’ll have to tell her sooner or later, especially when we get ready to take her over there in a little while,” Sonny mused, rubbing his chin.

“Where are we going, Daddy? What’s my birthday present?” Marley was practically hopping up and down in her seat. She suddenly gasped. “Are you gettin’ me that pink Barbie jeep? The- the one Papi and me seed when we went to Target? For Britney’s birthday?” She froze, then gasped again. “I could drive EVERYWHERE! Muahahahahahaha!” She laughed maniacally, clapping her little hands, and both Sonny and Rafael started laughing. After a minute, she looked back and forth to them. “So when are we going to Target to get my jeep?”

“Well,” Sonny said, “we’re not. You’re not getting a jeep.”

Her face fell. “I’m not?” A look of worry covered her face.

“It’s better,” Rafael said quickly. “Daddy and I have been talking, and we think you’re ready to get your ears pierced!”

“My ears?” she asked, touching her earlobes. “Tause I’m a big girl now?”

“Yes ma’am,” he told her, smiling and praying that ear piercing was as cool as a jeep. “Daddy and I are going to take you to get your ears pierced when we finish eating, before we go to Grammy’s for your party.”

“Weally, Papi?” she asked. “Tause I been wantin’ my ears pierced _forever!”_

“Listen to that!” Sonny said. “Pierced ears are WAY cooler than pink jeeps!”

Marlene and Rafael both stared at Sonny. “What?” he asked. “Aren’t they?”

***

“Hey, Al!” Sonny greeted one of his high school friends as they entered the tattoo parlor. “How’s it going?”

“Sonny!” A bald, stocky man came out from behind the counter and embraced him. “Look at you! Still as lilly white and pure as you were the last time I saw you! When are you gonna let me change that?” 

Sonny laughed. “Not today. I’m thinking about it, though. You remember Rafael, right? And the little one is with us. She’s our birthday girl!”

“Sure!” Al said, shaking Rafael’s hand. “I remember Rafael from the wedding, but this little one wasn’t there then...Hey there, cutie! My name is Al.” He extended his hand to Marley, who looked at it cynically for a moment. “Hello,” she finally said. “My name is Marwayne E-wizabeth Barba-Tarisi.”

Al looked impressed. “That’s quite a name! I understand you’re here to get your ears pierced.”

Marley nodded. “That’s what my dads say. Be-tause I’m a big girl now and I have waited a very, very wong time.”

“I bet you have,” Al said. “Why don’t we take a look at earrings, first? Maybe you and your dads can pick out the perfect ones for you.”

Marley nodded again. “Otay. Yeah! That’s a good idea, wight Papi?” She looked up to the man holding her hand, and he smiled.

“Si, princesa. Let’s see which ones you like.” They followed Al to the counter and he pulled out a sample tray of earrings. There were a variety of stones as well as designs and shapes. “What do you think, mija?” Rafael asked.

“I don’t know.” She shrugged her shoulders. “There’s a WOT to see, Papi.”

“Are they all hypoallergenic?” Sonny asked. “These are her first ones, so are there ones that would be better?”

“I’d recommend the choices on this tray,” Al said, pulling one smaller tray to the front for them to see. “The stones on these are set in 14k gold, and the characters and shapes are made of titanium, so none of them should cause any kind of allergic reaction.”

“Hey baby, do you like the colored stones or the animals and flowers and stuff better?” Sonny moved a few things around on the tray, hoping to help capture her attention, but she still seemed overwhelmed. “Okay honey,” he tried again, “tell Daddy two things you like a lot.”

“Um...um...uh….” She sighed, then tapped her chin. “I wike purple, wike Papi does! And I wike dogs.”

“Purple and dogs, huh?” Al repeated while Sonny moved more earrings around. “How about one of these?” Al lay three earrings down in front of Marley, one amethyst, one a dog with short ears, and one a dog with floppy ears like Pru and an amethyst collar. “Will any of those work?”

“Uh-huh!” she giggled, pointing to the one that looked most like Pru. “Wookit! It’s Pru earrings!” She looked back and forth between all three men. “I want these ones! They’re perfect!”

Sonny glanced at Rafael, who nodded, and he turned to Al. “Okay, you heard the little lady! That’s what we’ll get.”

“Perfect. Let me get my gun ready and we’ll get ‘em done--”

“Gun?” Marley cried loudly. “I wanna go!” She grabbed Rafael’s hand and pulled him, hard, toward the door.

“No honey,” he stopped her, bending down to her level. “It’s not a gun like you’re thinking. It’s a special tool he uses to pierce your ears.” Hearing that, Marley pressed her face into Rafael’s chest. He could feel her crying, and he rubbed her back comfortingly.

“She and Rafael had a recent incident with a criminal and a gun,” Sonny explained quietly to Al, whose eyes were wide, and he nodded.

“Jesus, Sonny, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare your kid. Would it help if I showed it to her?” Al rounded the counter and Sonny followed him over to a reclining seat. He opened up a drawer in a cabinet behind the seat and picked up the piercing gun.

“That may help,” Sonny agreed. “Hey dolly? Look at what Al has. This is what he’s talking about--not a gun like you’re thinking of.”

She turned her head from Rafael’s chest and rubbed her eyes. 

“Go see what Daddy has,” Rafael encouraged her. “It’s not scary. See?”

Marley slowly moved over to Sonny. “Does it hurt, Daddy?”

“I don’t know,” he answered, taking her hand. “I’ve never pierced anything. You could ask Papi...he once pierced his belly button.”

Marley’s head whipped around to Rafael. “You pierced your belly button, Papi?”

Glaring at Sonny, he answered, “A long, long time ago.”

“When I was a baby?” she asked. “Tan I see? I wanna see it. I never seed it before.”

“No, before you were born,” he corrected. “And you can’t really see it much now. It’s closed up because I didn’t keep the jewelry in.”

“Y’know, I could fix that for you in about three minutes,” Al said.

“Yeah Papi! Do it with me! You tan get your belly pierced. Tan I get my belly pierced wike Papi? Or just my ears, Daddy?”

“Just ears for you, dolly. You’ll have to wait until you’re an adult if you want to pierce your navel, like Papi.” Looking to Rafael, amused, he asked, “You gonna do it?”

“Hell no,” Rafael responded.

“Oh, come on,” Sonny teased. “It’s sexy.”

Al was grinning. “I’ll do it for five bucks today, plus the cost of jewelry? My treat…”

“Yeah Papi!” Marley said excitedly. “Do it! It’s sexy!”

“Hey, don’t say that,” Rafael told her. “Daddy shouldn’t have said that around you. Fine,” he agreed, blushing. “I’ll do it.”

“Who’s gonna go first?” Al asked.

“Marley is,” Rafael said quickly. “It’s her birthday! Are you ready, princesa?”

Marley looked uncertain, but Al patted the seat of the chair. “C’mon up here, cutie. Let’s get you taken care of. Here, hold this mirror for me.” Al handed her a mirror once she was seated. 

“Nobody telled me if this is gonna hurt,” she said as Al began to mark her ears.

“It feels like a bit of a pinch,” Al told her. “See mine?”

She looked at his ears carefully. “You got a lotta holes in your ears. And your nose and your mouth. Didja do ‘em all by yourself?”

“Nope,” he answered, checking that the marks were even. “My friends helped. What do you guys think? Even?”

“Yeah, they’re good,” Sonny said, and Rafael nodded in confirmation.

“Okay, I’m gonna clean your ears real quick. This doesn’t hurt at all,” Al told her. Then he began to load the gun. “Wanna see?”

Marley peered over into the gun. “This is your earring. Your earlobe will go in there, I’ll line it up with the mark, and squeeze the trigger, and it will go into your ear really fast. Ready?”

“No!” she told him quickly, holding a hand up in front of her face. “Wait just a minute! I need to hold my dads’ hand. Here Daddy.” She held one hand out toward Sonny. “Papi, tan you hold my other hand?” Rafael took her other hand and squeezed it. “Otay guys.” She nodded at Al. “I’m weady now.”

“Keep your head very still, cutie,” Al said as he lined up the earring. “Don’t move.” He squeezed the trigger quickly.

“Ow!” Marley said loudly, then laughed. “That hurted but I’m not even cryin’. I’m such a big girl.” She giggled some more at herself. “Hey Daddy, did you see me? It hurted and I yelled ow but I didn’t even cry tause I’m such a big girl now.”

Al moved into position to do the second one, and Sonny winked at Rafael. “Good thing we waited until today, huh? Yesterday you were only four and you might have cried!”

Marley laughed again. “Yeah, I know, wight? I was so wittle yesterday.”

“Okay, we’re ready for the second one, cutie. Stay very still again for me, right?” With another quick squeeze, they were done. 

“That hurted,” Marley said as Al handed her the mirror again. “Wook at my ears, you guys? I wook so tool!”

“Eh, you were cool before,” Al told her. “But now your earrings match your stunning personality.”

Marley looked a little confused, but slowly said, “Yeah. Wight!” Climbing out of the chair, she added, “Your turn, Papi!” As Rafael swapped seats with her, she began to shake her hips as she sang, “Papi’s gonna pierce his bel-ly! Papi’s gonna pierce his bel-ly!”

“This is already starting to feel like a mistake,” Rafael grumbled to Sonny. Sonny smirked at him and patted his shoulder.

“I’m gonna recline your seat now, Rafael” Al said, and a second later Rafael found himself laying instead of sitting. “Go ahead and pull your shirt up, and I need your pants around your lower hips, so we have plenty of room to work.”

Rafael adjusted himself as Sonny and Marley watched, sharing a nearby chair. She was in Sonny’s lap, and his arms were around her. “I don’t see no earring there,” Marley said when Rafael had lowered his waistband.

“That’s because he let it heal up,” Sonny reminded her. “So he really just has a little scar there from when he did it before.”

“Tan I see?” she asked.

“No, baby. That’s Papi’s body and we don’t poke around on it, especially when he’s about to get a piercing.”

She sighed. “Otay. Hey Daddy, do you think he’s gonna cry?”

Sonny bit his lip. “No, baby. I don’t think he will.”

“Hey,” Rafael interrupted them, “If y’all could stop talking about me while I’m right here, that would be terrific.”

Al finished marking the spot and cleaning the area. “You ready?” he asked Rafael, prepping the needle.

“Wait!” Marley cried, “Papi, it’s a big needle! It’s a weally big needle and it’s gonna hurt! Are you sure you wanna get one? Tause it’s gonna hurt!”

“It’s okay,” Rafael told her calmly. “Remember, I had one before? I’m okay, mija.”

Sonny gave her a quick, reassuring squeeze. “He’s alright, dolly. I know it looks like a big needle, though, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah!” she said, sounding less worried and more intrigued. “It’s HUGE! And ew...there it goes and...oh, ew...wook, Daddy, he’s pokin’ it back out and wookit that, oh man…” She started laughing again. “That’s gonna hurt! Wow...oh man, now what’s he--oh, is that the jewelry? That’s a wed wock there...hey Papi you got a wed wock in your belly button now! Oh man, this is so funny.” Turning to look at Sonny, she added, “Mine are tooler though.”

“All right, you’re done!” Al rolled his chair back. “Feel okay?” He handed Rafael the mirror.

“I’m good,” Rafael told him, inspecting the piercing. A slow smile took over his face. “I like it. Thank you.”

“Me too,” Marley told him as he stood up. She pulled up the hem of his shirt slightly to look. “It’s sexy.”

“Stop it,” Rafael told her, “or I’m putting your daddy in time out for bad language.”

“Sorry,” she said as Sonny went to pay Al. “But what’s sexy mean? Does it mean tool?”

Rafael raised one eyebrow. “No. It’s a grownup thing.”

“Is it a good thing?” she looked up at him, squinting her eyes.

“It can be, for grownups,” he replied, picking her up and resting her against his hip. “But it’s never a good thing for children.”

“But I’m five,” she reminded him. “I’m bigger than I ever been before.”

“True,” he told her. “And one day you’ll be big enough for that, but you’ve still got a long way to go.” He kissed her cheek. “Muchos mas cumpleanos, carino.” (Many more birthdays, sweetheart)

“Here we go,” Sonny said, approaching them with a bag that included aftercare solution. “So how’s everybody feel? Cool? Sexy?” he asked, looking between the two.

“I’m not supposed to say that word,” Marley told him, “tause it’s for grownups.”

Sonny nodded. “You’re right. That’s why I was asking YOU if you felt cool!”

She shrugged. “I always feel tool. But now my earrings are tool too!”

He watched as she skipped ahead on the sidewalk a little, then bent down to pull up a dandelion. “Do you ever wonder,” Rafael mused, stepping into Sonny’s space, “if we’re really in for it?”

Sonny turned to him, looking surprised. “You’re still wondering?”


	2. A Carisi Kind of Birthday Celebration

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After an exciting morning, the Barba-Carisis get ready to spend the afternoon celebrating Marley's birthday in Staten Island with the family. But Pru's gotten sick, Sonny is exhausted, Marley is hyped on excitement (and probably sugar), and Rafael is trying to balance it all for them. Will they still be able to pull it off and make a memorable birthday for Marlene?
> 
> With the assistance of a baking grammy, a woodcarving grampy, and various loving relatives cheering them on, you know they will!

“Are we there yet?” Marley was watching the scenery go by from the back seat of the uber they were taking to the Carisi home in Staten Island. “Grammy’s gonna be missin’ me!”

“Grammy will survive,” Sonny grumbled from the front seat, scrolling through his phone. “We’re doing the best we can here. She knows we’re running behind.”

“It’s my birthday,” Marley said to nobody. “I just wanna get to my grammy’s and get to swim! See, Papi?” she said, pulling up her tee-shirt. “I’m wearin’ my purple swimsuit so I tan get in the pool wight away!”

“I see that,” Rafael said, tugging the fabric. “But remember, you still have to get sunblock on before you go in.”

“But Pah-piii, that’s gonna take for-evuh!!!” she whined, and Rafael wondered if they had pushed too much into one day. 

Things had gone just great until they got back home from piercing Marley’s ears. Pru had gotten into the trash and eaten some leftovers, causing a sick stomach. Rafael cleaned that while Sonny tried to get their bags packed to go to his parents’. But Marley was too excited to focus. First she couldn’t find a swimsuit. Then she wanted to try on both of the ones she found and model them for Pru, who was trying to recover from her earlier escapade. Sonny couldn’t find the sunblock he had just purchased, and by the time Rafael finished cleaning up from the dog, Sonny’s patience was shot. “That is IT, Marlene!” he yelled, “You have a seat on your bed right NOW!”

She spun around and crossed her arms. “You tan NOT put me in time out Daddy! It is my BIRTHDAY!”

“EVERYONE!” Rafael yelled. “Everyone is taking a ten minute break. You? Room!” he said, pointing to Marley, and watched her storm off. “You? Room.” He was much more gentle as he pointed to their bedroom, then cupped Sonny’s cheek in his hand. “Take a break, soleado. I’ll get the bag, si?” Sonny nodded, then disappeared down the hallway. Rafael knew his husband was exhausted, and gave him tremendous credit for not giving up right then.

A half hour later they were finally ready to leave the house, and after the ferry and an uber, they were almost there. 

“We’re here!” Marlene cried out excitedly. “Daddy, we’re here! You tan see your momma now! Are you excited?”

“Thrilled,” Sonny deadpanned, as his family climbed out of the car. He followed them up the driveway and to the front door.

Marley was already opening the storm door and going inside. “Marlene,” he called, feeling annoyed, “next time, knock before you go in!”

Rafael turned around and waited for him in the doorway. “You’re exhausted, sweetheart” he noted sympathetically. “You’ve had a hell of a week. If you want to go lay down for awhile, I’ll watch her.”

Sonny sighed. “Are you sure?” At Rafael’s nod, he impulsively pulled him into a hug. “Thank you. I know I’m grouchy. I’m just so tired...make sure I’m up for cake, okay?”

“I will, don’t worry--” he started, just as Deb stepped into the hallway.

“There’s my boys!” she said, holding her arms out for hugs. She quickly embraced Rafael, then Sonny. “I see the earring surprise went over well. I’ve already been shown the final results! And I heard Papi got a belly ring too, eh?” She teasingly prodded Rafael, and he grinned in response.

“Hey Ma, I’m gonna go lay down for a bit upstairs. It was just a really long week,” Sonny said, leaning over once more to kiss his mother’s cheek. “Rafi’s gonna make sure I’m up for cake.”

“Okay, honey. We’re planning to cut the cake around six, so you’ve got a couple hours. Sweet dreams.” Sonny headed down the hall and Deb turned to Rafael. “Lucia had said she’d be here around five,” she said as they went into the kitchen. “Is that still right?”

Rafael nodded. “As far as I know--”

“Hey Uncle Rafael,” Mia stepped into the kitchen from the outside porch. “Marley’s out here saying she wants to swim...is it okay if I go in with her or does she need to wait for you?”

“She needs to wait,” he told her. “She still needs sunblock--”

“I can put that on her,” Mia volunteered.

“That’s fine, but she still needs to wait before she gets in.”

“Why I got to wait, Papi?” Marley squeezed herself in front of Mia. “This is not the very funnest birthday party.”

Rafael quickly crossed the kitchen, catching his daughter by the wrist. “Excuse us, Mia,” he said firmly, pulling Marley inside the house and stepping into the dining room, out of Deb and Mia’s view.

“Ow! Why you gotted my arm? I just wanna go swim--”

He knelt down to her level. “Listen to me, Marlene Barba-Carisi. Your behavior this afternoon has been unacceptable. You have not listened to our words or followed our rules--”

“But it’s my birthday, Papi! You get to do what you want on your birthday and you an’ Daddy got to be nice to me!”

He was taken aback by her words. “First of all, Daddy and I are nice to you EVERY day, not just your birthday. And we expect YOU to be nice to US every day, also, which you have not been this afternoon. You are quite mistaken if you think you can do what you want with no consequences on your birthday. If you are not behaving and making good choices, then you will not get to do fun stuff.”

“Yes I will!” She replied in a singsongy voice as she crossed her arms. “We’re at Grammy’s and SHE makes the wules, not you, Papi!”

“Excuse me,” Deb said sweetly, stepping into the room. “Did I hear my name?”

Rafael cleared his throat, itching to respond to his little daughter in kind. She clearly did not realize who she was wrangling with. “Oh, I believe you did,” he answered Deb, fighting back a grin. Nodding at Marlene, he said, “Go ahead, tell Grammy what you just said.”

Marley began to twist one finger in her curls. “Grammy, I was just sayin’ we’re at your house and I gotta follow your wules here.”

“Oh really? Because Grammy’s first rule is to follow your parents’ rules. Are you doing that?”

“Yeah,” Marley said slowly, looking at the floor. “I just wanna go swimmin’ an’ it’s my birthday and Papi teeps makin’ me wait.”

“Huh. Well, you’ll have to work that out with your papi...you’re not my daughter. You’re his child, and you have to follow his rules.” She turned to Rafael. “I remember one time when Sonny got sassy with me on his birthday. I made him leave his own party and take a nap.” She laughed, then went back into the kitchen as Marley stared after her wide-eyed, and Rafael couldn’t wipe the smile from his face if he tried.

Marley stepped toward him. “I’m sorry, Papi. Are you gonna make me miss my party?” 

“That’s up to you,” he told her, but seeing her worried expression, made sure his voice was gentle. “If you can wait patiently for me on the porch until I change, then I will put your sunblock on and we will go swimming.”

She nodded, frowning. “Otay.” He watched her walk back on the porch and take a seat as her cousins played in the yard and the pool.

“I’ll watch her sit, Rafael,” Deb told him. “Don’t worry.”

He nodded at her. “Did you really make Sonny miss his party for a nap?”

“Sure did,” she replied. “Two-year olds can be squirrely without one!” She winked as he laughed, making his way to the bathroom to change.

***

“Papi!” Marlene squealed. “I’m gonna swim to you, otay? Watch me!”

“Okay, okay,” he laughed, turning toward his daughter. She was across the pool with Mia, wearing arm floaties. Despite the fact she’d had swim lessons since babyhood, Rafael insisted on the arm floaties because the pool was one depth, and Marley wasn’t tall enough to have her head out of the water when she stood.

He held out his arms to her and she took off again, swimming across the pool to him as quickly as she could. Her face was absolutely joyful, and he couldn’t help but be thankful for her.

“Cannonball!” he heard from over his shoulder, and suddenly Sonny was jumping in next to him, splashing both of them completely.

“You’re gonna break your neck one day doing that,” Rafael griped at him, splashing him back, as Marlene sputtered, reaching for Rafael.

“Daddy! You splasheded me,” she told him, rubbing her face as Rafael held her.

“I think you should splash him back,” Rafael told her. “He was naughty.”

Marlene looked at both of them warily. “I don’t want a nap on my birthday.”

“A nap on your birthday?” Sonny repeated, confused. “Not for my dolly!”

Rafael bit back a laugh and kissed her forehead. “No naps for splashing Daddy. I promise.”

Sonny did his best innocent face. “Are you gonna splash me, sweetheart? Your sweet Daddy who loves you so much?”

“No,” she sighed. “I’m not gonna splash you, Daddy. You didn’t feel good and took a nap. Do you feel better now?” She stretched out her arms to him and swam to him, and he pulled her in.

“Much better,” he said, kissing her cheek. “And guess who I saw inside?”

Suddenly Marley shrieked, “ABBY! My abuelita!”

“There’s my big birthday girl today!” they heard over their shoulders. “Look at you swimming! My sweet five year old girl!”

“Yeah, Abby! Guess what? It’s my birthday, and...and...and my daddy and your son taked me to get my ears pierced this morning! See my ears?” She pulled her hair away from her ears as Lucia bent down a little closer.

“Aha!” she said. “Well, your daddy and my son did a good job, eh?”

“Uh-huh!” Marley nodded. “And...and...and make sure you follow Grammy’s wules ‘tause if you forgetted you might have to take a nap.” She looked at Rafael. “Even on your birthday, wight Papi?”

Rafael nodded. “Yes ma’am. That’s right.”

“I took a nap, and I feel a LOT better,” Sonny commented, tugging a little of Marley’s hair. 

Lucia laughed. “I wish someone would tell ME to go take a nap! I’ll take that consequence any day!”

“Not me!” Marley said. “Hey Mia! Watch out! Here I tome!” Marley kicked off from Rafael’s stomach, swimming to her cousin across the pool.

“Geez,” he huffed, holding his gut. “Wish she’d be a little more careful!”

“Sorry Papi!” she called from across the pool.

“You okay?” Sonny asked, resting a hand on his husband’s stomach. “Those little legs are stronger than they look.”

“Yeah, I’m all right.” He glanced behind him, and seeing that his mother had gone back inside the house, he leaned forward and kissed Sonny. “You better?”

“Much. And look, I’m here before cake!”

“Mmm,” Rafael murmured, kissing his cheek, “impressive.”

***

“Alright, Marlene Elizabeth Barba-Carisi, it’s time for you to leave your mark on the shed.” Dom motioned his little granddaughter over while everybody took seats at the picnic tables. Marley ran over, wrapped in a towel and wearing her flip flops.

“I wanna help her! Tan I help, Momma?” Rosie, Marley’s littlest cousin, asked her mom. Bella shook her head.

“Nope, Rosie. You do your mark on your birthday. This one is Marley’s, remember?”

Rosie sighed heavily. “Otay. Do a good one, Marley Mae!” Rosie yelled. Marley turned around and smiled. 

“All right, my dear, tell your family what you chose to be your mark this year.” He handed her a decorated piece of carved wood.

This was a favorite family tradition. When his children were young, Dom had made each of them a special wooden token on their birthdays. They were allowed to decorate it and then pick where they’d like it attached to the wooden shed in the backyard. Each piece was labeled and dated, and provided wonderful memories for the family over the years. As time went on and Dom became a better craftsman, he began to allow the children to choose various shapes for him to carve; a little before their birthdays, he would have the shape ready for them to paint, and on their birthdays it was attached to the shed. Now he had pieces from all of his children and grandchildren, and the shed was a source of interest at every backyard gathering.

“I choosed a puppy this year, wike Pru.” 

He handed her the flat, dog shape she had painted. “Go ahead and show everyone your hard work…” Marley held up the wooden dog she’d painted and everyone clapped and hollered. Sonny snapped a few pictures as a shy, proud smile broke out over his daughter’s face. “All right, my dear...where would you like your wooden dog to go?”

Marley handed it back to him and pointed to a spot about five feet up. “There?” Dom asked, holding the dog against the shed.

She nodded. “Near my daddy’s.”

One of Sonny’s masterpieces from childhood was, indeed, near the dog. Dom nodded and hammered it in to the shed. “There we are! Happy birthday to you, our sweet five year old blessing!” He leaned down and gave his granddaughter a bear hug and she giggled in his arms. “Okay Grammy, are we ready for cake?”

There was some shuffling, and Lucia told him, “Almost!” She placed a crown on Marley’s head. “Here you are, birthday girl! Have a seat on your throne.” They had decorated a lawn chair with balloons and streamers, and Marley’s smile was a mile wide as she sat down. “Okay Deb! We’re ready!” Lucia called.

“Here we go!” Deb sang as she brought out the cake, leading everyone in a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday. The cake was a fairy princess and her dogs. Marley had requested a design with a fairy princess and a dog, and Deb had done her best. The fairy princess was a doll standing upright inside of a beautiful purple gown. Her skirt was made of cake, and her dress was purple frosting decorated with fancy pearls and candies. Five lit candles were at the bottom of her dress. She was surrounded with cupcakes decorated with glittery blue icing, and on top of each cupcake sat an adorable resin pug for guests to take home.

Marley’s mouth was wide open in awe as Deb proudly sat her creation in front of her granddaughter, and the family erupted in catcalls and clapping. “Happy birthday, my precious girl!” Deb told her, kissing her cheek wetly. Marley started laughing hard and deep. 

Rafael shook his head, smiling and leaning over to Lucia and Sonny. “She’s so excited...I hope she doesn’t start to cry.”

Lucia frowned. “Now why would she cry? She’s thrilled!”

“She gets overexcited,” Sonny tried to explain. “Overstimulated and it’s too much. Ma never did take it easy on the birthdays.”

“I wanna turn five EVERY day!” Marley announced loudly, eyes wide and grinning ear to ear before covering her mouth with her hands.

“I think it’s you two who are oversensitive,” Lucia told them, bumping each in the arm.

“All right, darling girl! Let’s blow out your candles!” Deb said. Marley took a big breath, head pulled back, and then leaned forward and burst into tears.

“Oh no!” Deb said, reaching to comfort her granddaughter as the adult Carisi kids shot each other knowing looks. “Oh honey, are you okay? What’s wrong?” Sonny had reached her by then and bent down next to her. 

“You okay, dolly?” he asked soothingly.

She nodded and started laughing through her tears. “I’m just so happy, Daddy!”

Rafael felt his heart melt once again, and Sonny smiled and kissed her cheek. “Let’s blow your candles out, okay? Make a wish!”

Marley tried again and this time, the candles went out to applause.

“How cruel to be so happy that you cry,” Lucia teased, ruffling her son’s hair.

“Nobody said it was cruel,” Rafael corrected her, “just that it’s traditional. You want vanilla or chocolate?”

***

“You got her?” Rafael asked as he unlocked the door.

“Yeah, she’s out,” Sonny responded, carrying Marley into the apartment. “I’m gonna go put her in bed.”

Rafael carried the packages of food Deb had sent home with them into the kitchen before heading to the washer and depositing the wet laundry. Sonny headed in the opposite direction, to their daughter’s room, with Pru trotting happily behind him.

Carefully laying Marley into her bed, he debated briefly about changing her out of her shorts and tee shirt into pajamas, but decided better of it. She’d be okay and he didn’t want to wake her. He carefully removed her flip flops, tossing them into her closet, then pulled her blankets over her body, tucking her in. Pru hopped onto the bed and he chuckled. “Don’t get comfy yet,” he told her. “You still need a walk.”

“Daddy?” Marley’s eyes were still closed and for a second he thought he was hearing things. “Thank you for my birthday. It was my best birthday ever.” She was smiling sweetly, and he leaned over and kissed her cheek.

“Happy birthday, my sweetest Marley Mae. Papi and I love you to the moon and back.” He tucked knuffle bunny into her arms. “Sleep tight, baby girl.”

“I wove you, Daddy.” 

He smiled to himself, pausing in the doorway long enough to thank God for his little girl. Of all the gifts he’d been blessed with in his life, she was the one he tried to be most conscious of, most aware, most grateful for. Quietly, he patted his thigh to gain Pru’s attention, and left the bedroom with the dog trotting behind him.

“I’m going to take her out real quick,” he told Rafael as he reached the living room, and sat down to put on Pru’s leash. The little dog squirmed and wriggled, wagging her tail and panting, and he couldn’t help but chuckle. Rafael scooted in next to him, sitting down and petting Pru’s head. 

“Somebody’s excited to go out,” he noted, and Sonny chuckled again.

“Yeah, she is,” he agreed. “It’s been a long day for her. She’s a good girl.” He watched Rafael continue to pet her. “Birthdays are good, but exhausting. I’m so glad we won’t be doing this for another year.”

Rafael nodded. “Can you imagine? I don’t know how parents do anything fancier.”

“Do you think it would make a difference for her? If we had done anything more elaborate? If we had done everyone at the zoo, or if we had gotten her the barbie jeep, or a custom cake?”

Rafael tilted his head. “Well, considering she cried because she was so happy, I think we hit it out of the park.”

Sonny hummed. “Did you ever have a birthday like that as a kid? That you thought was incredible?”

“When I turned ten,” Rafael said, “I remember we celebrated after my little league game at my abuelita’s. We had hot dogs and beans and chips and soda, American food, and then cake and ice cream. I remember because Papi took me to a game that night. And he was sober. He bought me popcorn and a hot dog. I remember thinking it was the best night of my life.”

Sonny smiled gently. “Sounds like a great memory.”

“It is,” Rafael replied. “You?”

“My best birthday? Probably the year I got to nap.” Sonny burst into laughter as Rafael tickled him, then kissed his cheek.

“Te amo, Sonny. Eres lo mejor que me ha pasado.” (You’re the best thing to ever happen to me.) Rafael kissed his husband’s lips gently.

Sonny smiled sweetly. “I love you too, baby.” Squeezing Rafael’s hand, he stood up. “Okay, girl, let’s get you outside.” Winking at Rafael, he said, “Wait up for me, papi.”

Rafael grinned. “Oh, don’t worry, daddy. I’ll be waiting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I completely HC the Carisi family as being large and loving--and probably far less dysfunctional than they are sometimes portrayed on the show. 
> 
> I want to give credit here to sarahcakes613 for the name and characterization of Rosie, Marlene's cousin, who is Bella and Tommy Sullivan's daughter. I've borrowed this little lovey from her story "I'd Lie For You (and that's the truth)". Go read it and smile. And if you're a writer who wants to borrow an idea, name, detail, or whatever from somebody else, talk to your fellow authors and gain permission first--be a respectful creative, friends!
> 
> The birthday cake idea for this fic came from my own sixth birthday, when my mom made me this cake. Bless her heart, she has always been very creative but her ideas tend to be better than her follow through. This was one time things worked out. I remember being thoroughly impressed with my Cinderella cake, completely with blue frosting, and I got to keep the Barbie inside. Such a wonderful memory for me!
> 
> Thanks for reading! Please take a moment to kudo or comment if you can--I truly appreciate it!


	3. Marlene's Story

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “This is a book about you,” Sonny told her. “It’s called Marlene’s Story. And it has some very important pages. We thought since you just had your birthday last weekend, it was time to read it together.”
> 
> “Otay,, Daddy!” Marley exclaimed. “I tan help, I bet! Tan I turn the page?”
> 
> Sonny nodded. “Go ahead.”
> 
> Marley ran her hand over the cover once more, repeating, “Marlene’s Story. By Daddy and Papi.” She opened the scrapbook to the first page. 
> 
> ****
> 
> Upon finding out they had been chosen by a teenager to be the parents of her baby, Sonny and Rafael began saving everything that might tell their baby's story. Now that baby has turned five, and it's time to share her story. It's also time to share more of her birth mother's story, too.
> 
> ***This chapter changes the rating of this fic due to a sex scene at the very beginning of the chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thanks for reading! This is the final chapter for Marley Turns Five. I felt it was important to include a chapter about Marley's birth mom, and how I saw the family dealing with and managing that part of life. As Marlene gets older, this part of her life will become more complex, and her dads have a responsibility to introduce and manage contact between their daughter and her birth mom, imo, and they will do that throughout this AU.
> 
> The beginning of this chapter contains a steamy scene between Rafael and Sonny, which has raised the rating for the entire fic. Otherwise, the rest is pretty tame!
> 
> As always, kudos and comments are super awesome and SO appreciated! Enjoy!

Sonny entered the bedroom and closed the door behind him. “She’s down for the night,” he said, kissing Rafael’s head as he moved to join him on the bed.

Rafael was in his pajamas, putting scrapbook pages into their binder. “I think it’s updated and ready,” he said, focused on the project in front of him. “Will you take a look at it? I think we should both be there to sit down and go over it with her, but I can work on the letter with her.”

“Of course,” Sonny told him, stroking his back. He slid his hand under Rafael’s tee and began to move his palm up and down. The smooth, warm skin was pleasantly inviting, and Sonny leaned forward, nuzzling Rafael’s neck.

“Sonny,” Rafael murmured, smiling as he felt his husband’s hand make its way around his body to his chest, “should we put this aside and look at it tomorrow, before we give it to her? You seem a little...distracted.”

“That might be a good idea,” Sonny told him, slowly kissing his way around to Rafael’s jaw, then ear. “You’re just too irresistible tonight.” His palm slid through the springy chest hair, over the soft, warm flesh, before circling a nipple. “My mind is really not on adoption right now...sorry.”

Rafael chuckled. “Well, thanks to you, now mine isn’t either.”

Sonny chuckled, low, as well. “Sexy beast,” he teased, pinching a nipple, and Rafael burst into laughter.

“You’re insane, Dominick Carisi,” he snickered as Sonny enveloped him in a kiss. 

Sonny smirked against his husband’s mouth. “Possibly...but I just wanna get my mouth on this thick, beautiful cock of yours. Think that’s doable?”

“I dunno,” Rafael teased, as Sonny fondled him through his pajama pants, “How wide can you open?”

“Ahh!” Sonny bit his neck, low, and Rafael swatted at him. “Sassy today!” Rafael was giggling as Sonny’s hands continued to move all over him, tickling. “I love that sassy mouth of yours...maybe I’ve got this all wrong and I should be stuffing your mouth instead of you filling mine…”

“Yeah, you’d like that, wouldn’t you?” Rafael egged him on, tossing the scrapbook into a chair, then turning around and pinning his husband back against the mattress. “I know exactly what you like. And you’d rather have that filthy mouth of yours empty so you can run it.”

Sonny reached up, cupping his husband’s face and pulling him in for a deep and dirty kiss. “Just remember, guapo, I know you just as well,” he murmured, biting an earlobe, “and you know I give as good as I get.”

Rafael chuckled, catching his breath when Sonny bit his ear. “Oh, soleado...I’m counting on it.”

***

Sonny was perusing the scrapbook over a cup of coffee when Rafael got out of the shower. “Where are we going to have her keep this?” he asked. “I’m not sure we should just give it to a five-year old. There are some things in here that are irreplaceable, you know?”

“Yeah,” Rafael replied, pulling a polo over his head. “I was thinking we’d keep it in the living room. We do have copies of everything, but I understand what you’re saying.”

Sonny shot him a quick glance. “And Amy said she thought it was time?”

Rafael nodded. He’d discussed the book with Amy, Marley’s therapist, in detail. “She thinks she’s old enough to understand most of it now. She said it’s great that we’ve shared the basics with her from the beginning, but it will also be helpful to have a book she can read and refer to.”

“I believe that,” Sonny responded, flipping through the rest of the book before closing it carefully. “You think she’ll handle it okay?”

“I don’t know why she wouldn’t. We’ve always been honest with her about how she came to us, and we’ve done our best to answer her questions as she’s asked them--”

There was a sudden knock on their door, and they both knew exactly who it was.

“Come in, dolly,” Sonny called to her, and Marley opened the door with a sleepy smile, still in her pajamas. She made her way over to him without any words and climbed into his lap, still smiling. He hugged her close and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Good morning, lovey.”

“‘Morning, Daddy,” she said, hugging him back. “You gotted to stay home today.”

“I did!” he replied happily. “I’m off today, just like you and Papi.”

“That’s nice,” she murmured, reaching over and playing with the cover of the book. “Are you gonna make us pantakes for breakfast?”

“Mmhmm,” he hummed, kissing her head, “if you and Papi want that. But first, Papi and I have something we want to share with you.”

“You do?” she asked as Rafael joined them on the bed, reaching for the scrapbook. “Are you givin’ me something, Papi?”

Rafael chuckled. “Kind of,” he answered. “It’s actually something for our whole family. But Daddy and I have been talking, and we know you’re a big, five year old girl now, and we think it’s time to share a special family book with you.”

Marley sat up, immediately attentive. “A special book? Tause I’m big?”

“Mmhmm. See this book? Who do you think it’s about?”

Marley grinned, running her fingers over the photo of herself as a baby. She was laughing, wrapped in a crocheted blanket that Rafael’s abuelita had made for her just months before her passing. Sonny and Rafael were incredibly fond of that photo. “It’s about me!” Marley answered. “That’s me when I was just a wittle baby girl. Wook at how happy I am. I was smilin!”

“You were,” Sonny remembered, a smile taking over his own face. “You were four months old there. I had just given you a bath and you just loved your bathtime! You always loved water. And that blanket was made especially for you! By your bisabuela, Catalina.”

“She was Abby’s mami,” Rafael told her. “And my abuelita. She was very special. Her name was Catalina.”

“Did she wove me?” Marley asked.

“She did, indeed,” Rafael assured her. “You’ll see inside. There are more pictures.”

“This is a book about you,” Sonny told her. “It’s called Marlene’s Story. And it has some very important pages. We thought since you just had your birthday last weekend, it was time to read it together.”

“Otay,, Daddy!” Marley exclaimed. “I tan help, I bet! Tan I turn the page?”

Sonny nodded. “Go ahead.”

Marley ran her hand over the cover once more, repeating, “Marlene’s Story. By Daddy and Papi.” She opened the scrapbook to the first page. There was a letter from the adoption agency, saying they had a birth mother interested in placing her baby with Sonny and Rafael. Sonny read the letter aloud to Marley. She scrunched up her face, thinking. “You mean they finded me for you?”

“Kind of,” Sonny explained. “They are a place where people who want to raise a child go, and people who are having a child but can’t raise it also go, and they match them together.”

“Oh,” she said, tapping her chin. “So my belly momma told them she wanted me to wive with you and Papi. I get it.”

“Yes you do,” Rafael affirmed.

They turned the page and looked at some baby shower pictures, the baby shower invitation, and pictures of the nursery. Marley turned page after page, laughing, and said, “Wook at my pretty woom! Papi, didja paint it for me? It’s his favorite, wavender!”

Rafael smiled. “It was lavender and gray, and it was very nice.” 

Sonny chuckled. “Do you remember all the time we spent debating that color scheme? It took forever!”

Rafael hummed. “I just remember how adorable it was when it was finished.”

“That too,” Sonny teased, elbowing him. 

They turned one more page and stopped. “This is an important page,” Sonny told Marlene, and both men watched her look at the photo and letter attached to the page.

“Who is it?” Marley asked. “Is that my belly momma?”

“Mmhmm,” Rafael confirmed for her. “Her name is Corrine. She was seventeen years old there. Isn’t she pretty?”

“Uh-huh!” Marley looked closely at the photo. “This one is different than the one in my woom! We gotted two pictures of her, huh?”

“We sure do,” Sonny affirmed. “This is one she sent us when she graduated from high school. The one in your room is one she gave us right before you came to live with us. Papi asked her for one to go in your room, and she took a special one for your room.”

“Hey wookit, Papi...my belly momma’s got hair wike me!” She pointed to Corrine’s thick, dark, hair. “But she don’t got no curls wike me. Why?” she sought out Rafael’s face. “Why do I got curls and she doesn’t?”

“Well,” he explained, “Corrine is Native American, and most Native Americans don’t have curly hair. Your birth father is African-American, and he might have had curly hair. Or it’s possible that somebody else in Corrine’s family has curly hair but she didn’t, but she still passed it on to you. There’s a few different ways that can happen.”

Marley was tapping her chin again. “Or maybe she just doesn’t use those curler things...or she uses that straighten-thing Aunt Wivvy has. ‘Member that thing, Papi?” She started giggling again. “‘Member that time Aunt Wivvy made my hair go straight and you said, ‘O-wivia! What didja do to my baby’s hair?’” She sounded so hysterically high-pitched and frantic that they all started to laugh together.

“I don’t remember it quite like that,” Rafael said, wiping his eyes, “but it was definitely a surprise.”

“Does my birth father got green eyes too? I think my skin wooks wike my belly momma’s. An’ sometimes wike Papi’s.”

“We don’t know, dolly,” Sonny told her. “We don’t know anything about your birth father.”

“Does he got a name?” she asked, and Sonny shook his head.

“We don’t know it. Corrine didn’t tell us what it was.”

Marley shrugged her shoulders. “Maybe she forgot.”

Rafael and Sonny looked at each other, but didn’t comment.

“What’s on this paper? Is it a wetter?” she asked, and Sonny nodded.

“It is,” he told her. “It’s a letter that Corrine wrote to you before you were born. Would you like us to read it to you?”

“Yeah,” she replied. “I would wike that, Daddy.”

“Okay,” he said. “It says, Dear baby--”

“She doesn't know my name?” Marley interrupted, immediately distressed.

“We hadn’t picked it out yet,” Rafael told her. “Corrine let us pick it out, but Daddy and I were still deciding. You weren’t born yet when she wrote this.”

“Oh,” she said slowly, “Otay. Go ahead, Daddy.”

Sonny smiled at her. “Okay. Dear baby, you don’t know me but my name is Corrine Washington and I’m your momma. You are in my tummy right now and boy, do you like to kick! To tell you a little about me, I am seventeen years old and in high school. I am graduating next year and then I will go to college. You are going to have a nice family that loves you. I picked them out myself. You’ll have two daddies. I know that’s different, but I really like them and they act like they will love you so much. I am sorry I can’t keep you and take care of you myself, but I don’t have my own house and I don’t have anyone to take care of you while I go to school. Your dads have a nice apartment in Manhattan and lots of friends and family who can help take care of you while they go to work. They also have money to buy you stuff. I work at Burger King but I don’t have enough money to buy you very much, maybe not even diapers. I just want you to know that I love you. Even though I can’t keep you, I will always love you. I also know I will always have a cupcake on your birthday so I will always remember you. Your dads said I can send you a card on your birthday too, so I will do that. I hope you grow up to be a nice, beautiful, kind, smart girl. Maybe I will be able to see you when you grow up. Your dads seem very nice and kind, and also very smart. I will always love you, my sweet, pretty baby. Love, Corrine, your momma.”

They sat quietly for a few minutes after Sonny finished reading, until finally Marley said, “Oh. Well that is kind of a sad wetter, Daddy. She misseded her baby.”

“I’m sure she did,” Rafael said gently. “Marley, do you understand that you are her baby?”

She looked at Rafael and he could see the wheels turning. “Me...I’m her baby. I wived in her belly. But she didn’t have no diapers for her baby.” She tapped her chin again. “I get it! I tame to wive with you guys tause you had some diapers! I had to have diapers, wight?” she laughed a little anxiously, and both men smiled.

“Yes, dolly. That’s part of it. But you also needed other things that Corrine couldn’t give you then...a safe and healthy place to live, food, clothes, toys--”

“And she had to go to stool, wight? She touldn’t take tare of no baby when she got to be at stool, wight?”

“Right,” Rafael said firmly. “Corrine wanted to finish going to school. She was a smart young lady and she wanted to be able to finish going to school, and for you to be able to have everything you needed to, so she picked me and Daddy to be your parents.”

Marley nodded. “But I wive here forever, wight? She tan’t take me away?”

“No,” Sonny reassured her. “She cannot take you away. We are a family and you belong with me and Papi. We are very, very grateful to Corrine for our sweetest Marley Mae. You’re the best gift we’ve ever received. But you are a gift, and we don’t take gifts back. You’re with us, forever and ever, amen.”

“Tan we turn the page?” she asked, and at Sonny’s nod, she moved on.

They looked at documentation from her first year; prints of her feet and hands, a clip of her soft baby hair, and photos of every developmental milestone known to mankind. “Okay, I might have gotten carried away,” Sonny admitted partway through, but Marlene was enthralled.

“Wook, Daddy! Hey, why’s there a picture of poop? Was that my first poop in the potty? Ha, Daddy, you taked a picture of my poop! See, Papi?” She laughed. “That’s so funny, Daddy!”

Rafael snorted. “What’s so funny is your daddy thought he needed to photograph it.”

“Hey!” Sonny jumped in, defending himself. “She was proud of it!”

“Are there any more wetters, you know, from that wady? Toe-win?”

“Yes,” Rafael told her, turning to a special part in the back of the book. “Corrine has sent you a birthday card every year. They are all back here, and there were short letters in each one. We showed you the cards each year but we have saved the letters for you. Here is the one for this year. Would you like to read it?”

“Yeah! Hey wook--” she opened the card and stickers fell out--”stickers!” She picked up a piece of stationery and handed it to Rafael. “Is that the wetter?”

“It is,” he told her, opening it up. “Ready to read?” She nodded, then made her way into Rafael’s lap and slipped her thumb into her mouth.

“Okay, it says ‘Dear Marlene, Happy birthday my sweet love! You are five years old this year and I can barely believe it! Your dads sent me a few pictures of you at Christmas and you are so beautiful! Your papi Rafael wrote me a short note this time and told me you had a lovely Christmas. He said you love preschool and are very smart, and that you love to cook with your dad Sonny. How is your dog, Juris Prudence? That is such a funny name! Well, my birthday girl, I think you would be proud of your momma...I have become a teacher! I graduated college this spring and just got a job to start teaching this fall. I am very excited! I miss you every day but I am so proud of both of us. We are smart girls! I can’t send you a present, but your papi said it’s okay to send you some stickers in your card. I hope you like these dog stickers I found. I love you, my sweet girl! Love, Corrine, your birth momma.”

Marley’s face was scrunched up. “Why tan’t she send me a present?”

Rafael and Sonny looked at each other, and there was an awkward pause before Rafael finally said, “It’s part of the rules when we adopted you. Each adoption has rules, and that just happened to be one for yours.”

Marley shrugged. “Weird.” For a second she played with the alligator on Rafael’s polo, then she said, “Papi, has she ever meeted me?”

“Not since you were born, honey, but we send her pictures of you every year, along with a letter and a video of you, telling her all about how much you’ve grown.” He played with her hair for a minute. “This year, you’re such a big girl, that if you would like to, Daddy and I thought you could help write the letter. Daddy’s already done the video, but we thought maybe you might like to draw Corrine a picture.”

“Yeah!” She reached over and started to play with Rafael’s hair. “But promise I still wive here, no matter what?”

Rafael nodded, then hugged her tightly. This had been one of his fears, that she might be anxious about a potential separation, but Amy had assured him that it was okay and they would work through any anxieties. “Daddy and I promise, princesa. You’ll always be our daughter, and you will always live with us. Promise.”

“Papi’s right,” Sonny chimed in, patting his daughter’s back.

“Otay,” she said, pulling back from Rafael. “Tan we do it water, though? My tummy’s rumbly and I want Daddy to make pantakes.”

“Sure,” Rafael replied, letting her go. She climbed down from his lap and skipped out of the room, Pru chasing after her.

***

“Let me see your picture,” Rafael said a few days later as they settled at the kitchen table. Marley had just gotten home from school and they were going to write Corrine’s letter.

“Otay,” she said, skipping off to her room and returning a minute later. “Here it is. I used my best markers, too, and I writed my name on it. See?” She pointed to the childish script at the top of the paper. “M-A-R-L-E-Y. That’s me!”

“Wow! Good work!” Rafael could tell she had spent time on this drawing. It was colorful and well-detailed, compared to her regular work. “Okay, tell me about your picture and I’ll write your words on it.” He’d picked up this trick from her teacher, Callie, who always wrote Marley’s descriptions on her work. Callie had explained that this not only explained things for anyone looking at the picture, it also increased Marley’s understanding of literacy. 

“It’s a picture of us. That’s you and me and Daddy, and Pru is running around us.” She giggled a little. “My brain said Toe-win might wike a picture of my family.”

“Well, I like it when you listen to your brain.” He lay the picture aside and pulled out a piece of paper. “Are you ready for us to write the letter? You tell me what to write, okay?”

“Otay, Papi.” She sat on her knees as he got his pen ready. “Otay, I wanna say hello and how are you Toe-win. I am good today. I am writin’ you a wetter with my papi. I wike writin’ wetters. We do it at stool a wot. I wiked getting your tard on my birthday. I weally wiked those stickers! I sticked some of them on my bed--”

“You did what?” Rafael interrupted, eyes going wide.

“Sticked them on my bed,” she repeated, a little more quietly. “But not a wot of them, Papi!” she tried to clarify, holding her hands up. “Just a touple of them, tause they make me an’ Pru feel happy! Pru sees them so she won’t be wonely!”

He raised an eyebrow. “Let me get this straight. You stuck dog stickers on your bed so that Pru would not be lonely.”

She nodded. “And tause they make us happy.”

He stared at her for a moment, then shook his head. “We’re going to need to clean that up when we finish this.”

Marley sighed and her bottom lip slipped out into a pout. “Otay, fine. Sometimes you are not the funnest papi, do you know that?”

“Yes. It’s my rep. My preschool street cred.” He grinned at her, humoring himself tremendously. Marley didn’t look amused.

“I do not know what you just said, Papi, but I do not think it was funny” she told him, sitting down in the chair and crossing her arms. “Are we gonna finish this wetter?”

He cleared his throat. “Yes, okay. You just said you really liked the stickers. What else would you like to tell her? Thank you?”

She nodded. “Thank you for those stickers. I’m sorry the wules say no presents. I wike presents. Oh! That weminds me...I gotted my ears pierced for my birthday! They are very, very tool. Do you have pierced ears, Toe-win? If you don’t, my daddy knows a guy who tan do it. He also pierced my papi’s belly button and that was very tool, too. Daddy said it was sexy.”

Rafael shot her a look, putting his pen down. “What did we say about that?”

She sighed loudly. “Sorry. It’s not for children.”

“Anything else you’d like to say to her?” he asked, picking up the pen again. 

“Yeah. Soon I’m going to be in tindergarten and it will be very exciting. Are you going to teach some tindergarten? I might see you if you do! If you see me you tan say hello to me! But just wemember, I wive with my dads and don’t want to wive with you, otay? Don’t be sad. Maybe one day you...you...you tan have another tid! Yeah, you tould have another child to be your baby! That’s a good idea! Isn’t that good, Papi?”

“Yes, mija. I think that’s a very good idea,” he told her, realizing he was going to have to seriously edit this letter. “Tell you what. Papi’s going to write this letter over so I use good handwriting, and I’ll have you sign it after I do that. You know what that means, right?”

“Yep!” she said. “I write my name.”

“Okay,” he said, putting the letter aside with the picture she had drawn, “I’m going to finish this in a little while. Right now, we need to clean some stickers off your bed.”

“Otay, fiiiiinnnnne.” She exaggeratedly flopped out of the chair and poked her way toward her room, Rafael grabbing a wet sponge and following behind.

***

“I think that’s it,” Rafael said, handing Sonny the zip drive. He dropped it into the envelope with the letter and picture, then sealed it.

“I’ll mail it tomorrow,” Sonny promised. “And that’s it. Project Birthday Number Five is complete.”

“Hard to believe,” Rafael sighed wistfully. “Our baby isn’t a baby anymore.”

Sonny lay the envelope aside, then plopped down on the bed. “You’re right. I don’t know how I feel about that, babe. I keep thinking about how sweet and little she was. Remember when we brought her home and she seemed to fit in one of our hands? Or how she’d stare into your eyes so sleepily while you fed her a bottle?”

“I keep thinking about how she’d squeal and splash whenever you put her in the bathtub,” Rafael chuckled. “She sure loved her Daddy baths.”

“Nothing compared to when Papi sang her to sleep though. Remember that? Every night for the first three years, you had her in that rocker, singing and rocking. I think I learned every song Abuelita sang to you.” Sonny smiled sentimentally at his husband. Rafael crawled up the bed and lay down next to Sonny, kissing his hand.

“I loved doing that,” Rafael murmured. “All those times she’d curl up with one of us for snuggles and I love you’s…”

“She still does that,” Sonny reminded him. “She’s very affectionate, and I’m glad she’s that way. I always want her to be loving and sweet. I think that’s just part of who she is.”

“I think so too,” Rafael said, stroking Sonny’s chest. “She reminds me to be more of who I am. Not to hide who I am, but to be proud of it.”

Sonny chuckled softly. “Isn’t it funny that our five year old is giving us life lessons?”

Rafael smiled proudly. “She’s one of the smartest people I know.”


End file.
